Device for operating street-railway switches.



-No. 808,298. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905.

' A. J. MOLINA.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING STREET RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1904. RENEWED OCT 16, 1905.

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No- 808,298. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. A. J. MOLINA. DEVICE FOR OPERATING STREET RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9, 1904.. RENEWED OCT 16. 1905.

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lar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed September 9, 1904. Renewed October 16, 1905. Serial No. 283,044.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT JOHN MoLINA, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Havana, Cuba, have invented a Device for Operating Street-Railway Switches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention refers to an apparatus which being attached to an extension appliance of the wheel-truck frame of a street-car and placed conveniently accessible in the front platform of the car the motorman can readily open or close a switch from said platform in the manner hereinafter explained.

The principle underlying the operation of this apparatus is the rotation imparted to a rod of rectangular cross-section by means of a swivel motion over an arc of ninety degrees.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front outside view of the apparatus. V Fig. 2 represents a front view of the apparatus with front cover-plate removed to show the interior parts. Fig. 3 is a side view. Fig. 4 is a top view. Fig. 5 is a bottom view. Figs. 6 and 7 represent the side elevation and plan of the extension appliance of the wheel-truck frame of a street-railway car, showing the apparatus B in position. Fig. 8 represents a slot on the floor of the car-platform through which therod projects to make the apparatus accessible to the motorman.

The apparatus is composed of one rod A, Figs. 1, 2, 3. Its cross-section is rectangu- At B, Figs. 2, 3, the rod is twisted so as to impart a rotating motion to the rod over an arc of ninety degrees when in operation. The lower extremity 0, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5,of rod A is also of rectan ular crosssection, but much wider than 'gher up and shaped slightly as a wedge or blade, for which reason I shall refer to it as the blade C.

An inner casing composed of front plate E, back plate F, top plate G, and double-bottom plates H I, Fig. 3, but no side plates, is built all of one single plate bent six times at right angles in the same direction and held together by rivets p, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5. Rod A goes through this inner casing at points J K L, Figs. 2, 3, 5. It moves freely up and down through circular openings at J and K.

The diameter of said openings is slightly larger thanthe long axis of the cross-section of the rod. At L there is a rectangular slot of slightly larger area than the rectangular cross-section of the rod and allows the rod to pass through it easily, but not loosely. A steel spring M, Figs. 2, 3, surrounds the rod A from the top plate G to the bottom plate H, through both of which the rod moves freely. The lower end 0, Figs. 2, 3, of the spring M is loose and rests against plate H. The upper end of the spring is held firmly by pin P, Fig. 2, at the rod itself. Pin R, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, is rigidly attached to front plate E of inner casing at right angle to it and to the rod A, and it projects out beyond outer front plate Q, Figs. 1, 4. A small plate T,

Figs. 2, 3, is riveted to the back of plate F, Fig. 3, for no other purpose than to separate plates F and S, Fig. 3.

The whole of that part of the apparatus above described, taken as if it were a single body, is made to swing in a vertical plane about the screws U, Figs. 1, 3, 4, as pivots over a small angle, as shown in Fig. 1, where the two extreme positions are shown by a full and a dotted line. The pivots U are also made to hold fiat together the plates E and Q and F and S.

Plates Q and S, Fig. 3, together with top plate X, Figs. 2, 3, are all one single plate bent twice at right angles in channel shape, inverted, thus forming a sort of outer casing to the movable body of the apparatus first described. Plates Q and S are held parallel to each other by means of pins 9, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5. The front cover-plate Q, Fig. 1, has a slot Y, through which pin R, Figs. 1, 2, 3, projects out. The slot Y is elongated in a direction normal to rod A, Fig. 1, in order to allow the side travel of the pin B when the rod A changes position. The top plate X, Figs. 2, 3, 4, has at its center a slot through which the rod passes and which also permits the side motion of said rod.

Attached to the front cover-plate Q, Figs. 1, 3, is a lever Z, Figs. 1, 3,4, 5. It is fixed at the end f, Figs. 1, 4, 5, to the plate and free at endf, Figs. 1, 4, 5, to rotate aboutj, but for the steel spring m, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, which makes the lever Z always to bear downward. This spring is fixed at n, Figs. 1, 3. The lever-arm Z has at 'i i, Fig. 1, two indentations, in which pin R fits when the rod is inclined at either of its extreme positions. A, Fig. 1, in dotted lines shows the relative position of the rod at the extreme position fromAin full line.

In Figs. 6 and 7, A represents an extension appliance to the frame of the wheel-truck of.

a street-railway car. The switching appa ratus is fastened in position at the right and left corner of extension A A, Figs. 6 and 7, as shown at B B, Figs. 6 and 7.

C, Figs. 6 and 7, is bottom of car, and D, Figs. 6 and 7, is floor of car-platform.

The natural position of the apparatus at the right and left corners of the extension appliance of the wheel-truck frame is vertical, with front cover-plate Q, Fig. 1, facing the direction of travel and rod A rotating laterally about pivotU, Figs. 1, 3, in a vertical plane at right angle with the track-line. The location of each apparatus on the extension to wheel-truck frame corresponds directly over each rail. The object of mounting the apparatus on the extension appliance rigidly attached to the wheel-truck frame is for the purpose of keeping the apparatus constantly at the same height above and directly over the rails, thus avoiding the variations frequently occurring at the car-platform to one side or the other or up and down. Red A is never vertical, but inclined to one side or the other, as shown at A A, Fig. 1, and is kept always thrown all the way up by means of the spring M, Figs. 2, 3.

The manner of operating this switching device is as simple as the apparatus itself and is as follows: On reaching a turnout the motorman may stop his car when the apparatus above described shall be directly over the switchpoint. Experienced motormen may operate the switching device while the car is in motion. The motorman will then move by the foot the red A to the side opposite the direction of travel-viz., to the right if the car is going to the left and to the left if the car is going to the right. Then press red A quickly all the way down till the twist on the rod has completely passed the slot L, Figs. 2, 3. The broad blade 0 of rod A, which serves as a wedge for the operation of the switch, will then by the above movement be lowered sufficiently and without turning to introduce itself a little on the close side of the switch, and then continuing its descent it is made to turn ninety degrees by reason of the twist on the rod working down through the slot L, Figs. 2, 3. By this movement the blade is turned at right angle to the switch-tongue, shifting it, therefore, to the opposite side. When released, red A will recover its original position.

The distance from the twist on the rod A to the slot L, Figs. 2, 3, shall be a small frac tion of an inch longer than the vertical dis tance from bottom of blade 0 to top of rail. The width of the blade shall be equal to the side travel of the switch-tongue.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A switching device comprising a rod, provided with a broad blade at its lower end,

suitably mounted in a vertical position upon the extension appliance to the frame of the wheel-truck of a street-car, means whereby the lower end of said rod may be swung from side to side, means for lowering said rod into engagement with the switch tongue and means for simultaneously lowering and rotating said rod, ninety degrees, for shifting the switch-tongue to the opposite side, substantially as set forth.

2. A switching device comprising an inner casing, mounted in a vertical position on the extension of the frame of the wheel-truck of a street-car, and formed with a rectangular slot at its lower bottom plate and circular openings at the other bottom and top plates, an obliquely-movable rotatable rod working in said. inner casing and through said slot, and means whereby the said casing and rod may be rocked from side to side, as set forth.

3. A switching device comprising a casing having a rectangular slot therein, an obliquely-movable rotatable rectangular rod provided with a twist at a point above the rectangular slot and within the casing, work ing within said casing and through the said slot and means for rocking said casing and rod laterally in a vertical plane about a pivot and for lowering the rod into engagement with the switch and for simultaneously lowering and rotating therod and blade for shifting the switch-tongue, as set forth.

4. A switching device comprising an outer fixed suitable casing or cover, provided with a slot at top plate and another slot at front plate, mounted vertically rigidly upon the extension appliance to the wheel-truck frame of a streetcar, an inner casing laterally movable on a vertical plane about a pivot, provided with a rectangular slot at its lower bottom plate, an obliquely-movable rotatable rod provided with a blade at its lower end, and means for simultaneously lowering and rotating said rod and blade for shifting the switch-tongue to opposite side, as set forth.

5. A switching device comprising a leverarm rovided with two indentations, movable in a vertical plane about its fulcrum at one of its ends and held downward at the other end by a steel spring, the lever-arm being attached by both its fulcrum and spring to the front plate of a fixed outer casing or cover mounted rigidly and vertically upon the extension appliance to the wheel-truck frame of a street-car, an inner casing laterally movable in avertical plane about a pivot, provided with a rectangular slot at its lower bottom plate, an obliquely-movable rotatable rod provided with ablade at its lower end and means for simultaneously lowering and rotating said rod and blade for shifting the switch-tongue to the opposite side, as set forth.

6. A switching device comprising a pin firmly attached to the front plate of inner fulcrum attached at one end and held downward at the other end by a steel spring, a fixed outer casing or cover mounted vertically and rigidly upon the extension appliance to the wheel-truck frame of a street-car, an inner casing laterally movable on a vertical plane about a pivot, an obliquely-movable rotatable rod provided with a blade at its lower end and means for simultaneously lowering and rotating said rod and blade into engagement with the switch for shifting the switch-tongue to opposite side, as set forth.

7 In a switching device the combination of a laterally-movable inner casing about pivots on a vertical plane and attached to a fixed outer casing or cover mounted rigidly vertically on the extension appliance to the wheel-truck frame of a street-car and an obliquely-movable rotatable shifting-rod, supported within said inner casing and adapted to be rotated and lowered simultaneously, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth. l

8. In a switching device the combination of an obliquely-movable rotatable shiftingrod, a lever-arm provided with indentations and attached to the front plate of an'outer casing, and a pin rigidly attached to the front plate of an inner casing, projecting through a slot on front plate of outer casing, which pin is engaged in said indentations of said lever-arm in order to hold the inner casing and shifting-rod in proper position and to prevent swaying or wabbling, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a switching device the combination of an obliquely-movable rotatable rectangular shifting-rod provided with a twist within the inner casing, and working within said inner casing and the rectangular slot at the lower bottom plate of inner casing, thus adapting the rod to be simultaneously lowered and rotated, substantially as and for v the purpose set forth.

10. In a switching device for street-railway cars the combination of the truck-frame,

a supporting extension appliance rigidly attached to said truck-frame, the outer casing or cover of the switching apparatus above described firmly held in position at said extension-frame of the wheel-truck and the obliquely-movable rotatable shifting-rod ex tending through a slot on floor of car-platform directly above the apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT JOHN MOLINA.

Witnesses Josh B. VILLALON, J OSEPH A. SPRINGER. 

